High Fidelity Analysis

Music is often considered “the universal language.” Throughout, history it has symbolized love, brought people together, and has been the cornerstone of many lives. In the 1950s, a new form of music entered American mass culture that drastically changed the culture of the United States (U.S.): rock music. In the U.S., it began as Rock ‘n’ Roll, a originally “black” music genre that was then taken and promulgated by white Americans. Post WWII, many Americans—especially teenagers—struggled with the newfound societal conformity and normalcy, and rock provided them a form of retaliation. From its beginning, Rock united the younger generation of Americans, stirring up a sense of community amongst teenagers and troubling many adults by their actions—heightening

Like many teenagers, music plays a large role in Connie's life. She drifts off into daydreams and desires when listening to music. It plays in her head, even when there is no music around. She dreams of boys and love, "sweet, gentle, the way it was in movies and promised in songs" (par. 12). When Arnold and his friend Ellie first pull up into Connie's driveway, the music on the radio has an effect on her. Like many teenagers, Connie is intrigued by the music. It allows a connection between her and the strangers in her driveway. She becomes interested in the boys. They listen to the same station on Ellie's transmitter radio that Connie plays in the house. Although she has never spoken with them before, Connie feels more comfortable and less tense as she begins to listen to the music from Ellie's transmitter radio and the music coming from inside her home as they blend into one sound. Because of Connie's relaxing state, she allows herself to become intrigued with Arnold and

James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” conveys how music serves as a form of communication, both at a small and large scale. Charting the development of the communication between Sonny and his brother allows us to view how the unnamed brother fails to meet Sonny at his emotional level by not understanding his pain. I argue that the text introduces Sonny as someone who “has never been talkative” to set the foundation for his growth from being voiceless to speaking both vibrantly and effortlessly through music (Baldwin 113). Over the course of the text, the unnamed brother begins to listen to Sonny to discover the connection between music and emotion. Therefore, the text argues that music is a crucial mechanism to communicate with one another—more specifically

Perhaps one of the strongest demonstrations of the power of music in “Sonny’s Blues” is the street revival. Everyone has seen these types of revivals before. Every song has been heard by the crowd, but when the music starts everyone stops, watches, and listens. “As the singing filled the air the watching, listening faces underwent a change, the eyes focusing on something within; the music seemed to soothe a poison out of them; and time seemed, nearly, to fall away from the sullen, belligerent, battered faces” (57). The music from the street revival helps lifts the hopelessness from the crowd and provides a sense of relief. Music is able to bring people from all walks of life together. It gives them a sense of calm and ease, an assurance that something is there to help. Music listens.

This reference shows how music lays a foundation of teenage values beyond school or parental teaching. A musical artist can influence a young mind by the chosen lyrics with greater effectiveness than formal education. Music can control or enhance moods. A good mood can get better or a bad mood can be worked through with the choice of music. A bad mood can also be enhanced by lyrics about suicide or violent behavior. Teens can also use music to gain information about the adult world, to withdraw from social contact, facilitate friendships and social settings, or to help them create a personal identity. (O'Toole, 1997)

The feel-good essence of a lot of commercial pop music has the outcome of concealing the reality of structural where a people may not be treated as equals around the world (McKay, 2000, p.2). Therefore, commercial pop music has the triple socialising effect of having listeners forget the environment that they live in, having them believe there is validity in commercial power, and of muting people by mass-producing blaring, fused type of pop music while censoring others. This is concerning since the increasing variety of media controlled by the same corporations. An argument to this is that this feel-good aspect can help consumers feel, that they have escaped the conditions they live in. (McKay, 2000,

Popular music is often one of the best lenses we have through which to view our own cultural orientation. Many of the artistic and experimental shifts in popular music have mirrored changes in our own society. For instance, the emergence of Elvis Presley as a public figure would signal the start of a sexual revolution and the growth in visibility of a rebellious youth culture. Similarly, the folk and psychedelic music of the 1960s was closely entangled with the Civil Rights, anti-war and social protest movements. In this regard, we can view popular music as an artifact through which to better understand the time and place in which it is produced. In light of this, the state of popular music today may suggest troubling things about our society.

In the movie, there are many recurring themes such as, the never-ending supply of drummers, or the belief the main characters have of their extreme intelligence, when in fact they are not terribly bright. The movie also draws of real life parallels like in the case of John Lennon and

This song particularly is confusing in its general direction and message, but perhaps that is what makes it so tangible and why Weezer was so successful. It is relatable in that it is not an ethereal, untouchable piece of art, but still art in its’ own right, because Weezer plays it close to the vest by presenting the song more as a stream of consciousness; both jumbled and erratic; as opposed to a finely-tuned, edited entertainment

Throughout the book, Jericho, Josh’s and November’s friend, is conflicted about his decision to leave band in order to join the football team. In the end, Jericho decides to return to band by telling his band teacher this, “I’m dusting off my trumpet. I need my music. When football season is over, I’m coming back to music class, if that’s okay with you.” I feel the same way about music. When I’m in band class, I’m able to express my deepest feelings in the music. These feelings shine bright in all styles. This includes styles such as jazz, Jericho’s specialty, or even military marches; music gives both Jericho and I a medium for expressing our feelings.

Now a days, we are used to shocking lyrics and eye catching looks. It seems that every artist now is fighting to be so different that everyone is drawn to them. It was not always like this. In the late nineties and early two-thousands, most artists tried to fit in with the other blonde, processed pop stars that the industry was spitting out. When there was an artist who was not always happy and did sing about PG rated topics, they were blamed for what was wrong with the world, especially teenagers. In his article ‘I’d Sell You Suicide: Pop Music and Moral Panic in the Age of Marilyn Manson”, Robert Wright delves into and debunks claims that rock music, especially that of Marilyn Manson, is a main cause for teenage suicide.

    In John Cheever’s short story, "The Enormous Radio," Jim and Irene Westcott are presented as average, middle-class Americans with hopes and dreams just like everyone else. They are described as "the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability" (Cheever 817). Jim and Irene thought they were the epitome of the perfect American family that was free from trouble and worry. The only way that they differed from their friends and neighbors was a deep passion for serious music. This passion, through the enormous radio, brought to their attention the realization that they had just as many problems as the next family. Their reaction to the radio

Music is one of the most popular ways of expression and has been for generations. It makes us want to dance, inspires, soothes, relaxes, and sometimes tells us a story. Music is something the whole world shares and has brought together different kinds of people. However, there has been a question on whether some music has affected society negatively and crossed the line with some of its lyrics, content, and the persona of the artists. Certain music has been boycotted and even banned in the U.S. Pro-censorship supporters say that music is something that can deeply affect our society especially children who should not have to be subjected to things like violence, sex, drugs, or hate. However, being that music is a form of expression,

In life, music affects everything many people look at all the different stories of teenagers committing violent acts and have begun to wonder can violent songs make teens violent? With all the violent acts that music glorifies as of recently many psychologists and parents alike have begun to wonder why certain types of music cause their children and teenagers to become so violent. Because of the questions that violent songs raise and why teenagers have started to gravitate towards violent songs more than ever before. Some factors that could be reasons as to why violent songs have such a powerful effect on teenagers could be that: teenagers learn violence from their surroundings, teenagers can have a history of violence, and violent songs give teens a place to vent their frustrations at,

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby revolves around the professional and romantic endeavours of the protagonist Rob Fleming. Rob is struggling to cope with the diminishing returns from his hapless record shop, Championship Vinyl, which he runs with the help of Barry and Dick, two music lovers. Apart from this, Rob is also trying to come to terms with heartbreak after he broke up with his girlfriend. Rob’s problems seem to be anchored in his tendency to replace his real feelings and opinions with lists of tribulations. When Rob and Laura break up, he resorts to making a list of the most memorable relationships and attempts to discover where exactly he went wrong. He believes that real tension defines his relationship with women and the eventual breakups. Going by Rob’s numerous breakups with women, the novel seems to be all about dramatizing the romantic struggle of this protagonist, with Burke’s Act being the most dominant element. But elements like Agent, Purpose, and Agency may only help to analyze minor aspects in the novel such as business failure and infiltration of pop culture.